Archduchess Marie Valérie of Austria(-Tuscany)

Hi! I know there is already a topic about the children of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth, but I wanted to start a topic only for Marie Valérie as I think she is much more interesting than the homespun Gisela or the crazy Rudolf. I would like to discuss her personality, her relation with her mother, with her husband, etc and get to know more things about her. Also, I would like to know what she thought about other royals (the Romanows, the Hohenzollern, the Windsors,...). And of course I would love to see pic and portraits of her and her own big family!

a pic of Marie Valerie and her family

from left to right: Marie Valerie with Maria on her lap, Gertrud, Theodor Salvator, Franz Carl Salvator, Hedwig (sitting), Elisabeth ("Ella"), Franz Salvator and Hubert Salvator

anabel, some interesting facts about M.V.:
- Tsar Nicholas was present at the baptism of her daughter Hedwig in September 1896
- she thought that Princess Viktoria of Prussia wasn´t a nice person, when she met her, but she liked her younger sister Margarete. She said about her:" She is such a lovely little person, that I´d love to get to know her nearer".
- Her opinion about the three Hessian sisters and their brother:" Viktoria Battenberg - rather mean, Princess Heinrich - quite nice and Alix, still unmarried but extremly beautiful. Their brother Ernst Ludwig is still quite boyish.
- when visiting England with her mother, she was afraid of the old Queen

OK, I did post this on another thread, but no one answered me.  So...

Does anyone have...

A black and white version of this
http://www.kaiserinelisabeth.de/bilder/mv_color.jpg

A larger, clearer version of this
http://www.chateau-de-sassetot.com/version4/images/marie_valerie.jpg

A clearer version of this
http://www.kaiserinelisabeth.de/bilder/larisch_mv.jpg

Marie Valerie looked very pretty when she was young. So pity she had no much resemblance to her breath-taking mother...

True!  she was very cute as a child.  Unfortunately that none of Sisi's daughters inherit her beauty.  One good thing Marie Valerie did inherit from her mother is her beautiful hair

Did Marie Valerie write any memoirs?

- Marie Valerie was born in Hungary which was unusual.  Usually imperial children were born in Austria but Sisi was determined to give birth in Hungary, a country she loved very much.  And b/c of this, it was rumored that her father was not Franz Joseph but Guyla Andrassy.  

- Marie Valerie, unlike her siblings, was brought up by Sisi herself.   They never parted until she married.

- She married her cousin Franz Salvator, Archduke of  Austria-Tuscany for love.  

- She was linked to the Prince of Saxony and Prince of Braganza.

- Marie Valerie acted as a go between for FJ and Sisi.  Sisi always mumbled because she didn't want ppl to see her bad teeth.  FJ on the other hand, was losing his hearing as he got older and could not hear what Sisi says.  So MV would repeat what her mother said.  

- Marie Valerie disapproved of her parents' friendship with Katherina Schratt.

Did Marie Valerie write any memoirs?

She wanted to write a biography about her mother, but this was never put into action  :-/. Her diary (1878-1899) was published by Martha Schrad.

- Marie Valerie was born in Hungary which was unusual.  Usually imperial children were born in Austria but Sisi was determined to give birth in Hungary, a country she loved very much.  And b/c of this, it was rumored that her father was not Franz Joseph by Guyla Andrassy.

- Because of these rumours Marie Valérie was called the "Hungarian Child". However, it doesn´t seem likely that Andrássy was her father as Elisabeth was a woman who didn´t like "physical love".

- Marie Valérie was very sad because of these roumors as she loved her father dearly. She also tried to underline her Hapsburgian roots through making a "Hapsburgian lip".

- Elisabeth once said to her sister-in-law Marie José that her relationship with Andrássy was never poissoned by love. After hearing this, Marie Valérie was nearly mad of joy (she thought that this proved that Andrássy can´t be her father).

- Although she was raised Hungarian by her mother, Marie Valérie hated this country and its people (especially Andrássy) as adult

How did her three children die?  Did they die young?

- Marie Valerie was born in Hungary which was unusual.  Usually imperial children were born in Austria but Sisi was determined to give birth in Hungary, a country she loved very much.  And b/c of this, it was rumored that her father was not Franz Joseph by Guyla Andrassy.

- Because of these rumours Marie Valérie was called the "Hungarian Child". However, it doesn´t seem likely that Andrássy was her father as Elisabeth was a woman who didn´t like "physical love".

- Marie Valérie was very sad because of these roumors as she loved her father dearly. She also tried to underline her Hapsburgian roots through making a "Hapsburgian lip".

- Elisabeth once said to her sister-in-law Marie José that her relationship with Andrássy was never poissoned by love. After hearing this, Marie Valérie was nearly mad of joy (she thought that this proved that Andrássy can´t be her father).

- Although she was raised Hungarian by her mother, Marie Valérie hated this country and its people (especially Andrássy) as adult

Yup, sisi and andrassy were probably not lovers at all.  Their relationship was platonic.  

Yes, marie valerie hated andrassy.  She disliked the fact that she was rumored to be his daughter.  

Thank you so much Agneschen and Marie Charlotte!!!!

How did her three children die?  Did they die young?

Franz Carl Salvator died fairly young, aged 25 after WWI. because of the spanish flu. Maria died in 1936 in Innsbruck. Theodor Salvator died in 1978 aged 79. He inherited Castle Wallsee.

Why were they buried with her then?  Is it because they didn't marry? (did they marry?)

The youngest daughter of Marie Valérie, Agnes, was born in Bad Ischl on June 26th 1911. The little girl only lived for eight hours. Of course Marie Valérie and Franz Salvator were disturbed, but it was a comfort for them that their 10th child had been baptised and had received " the eternity of joy after moment of life." In this moment of grief Marie Valerie´s thoughts were yet again by her mother:"How comforting to presume, that this little grandchild has maybe finally helped her to go to heaven."
Agnes grave in Bad Ischl

Also Marie Valérie´s eldest (and most beloved) daughter Elisabeth ("Ella") died young, aged 36.